An amount of Rs 10.5 Crores will be released by the government for the proposed loan waiver which would benefit about 2,500 Handloom Weavers. Each weaver would be eligible for loan waiver up to Rs One Lakh, as has been assured earlier.

Minister KTR held a review meeting on various initiatives and schemes of Handloom and Textiles Department at Secretariat on Monday.

The department of Handloom and Textiles is in the process of finalizing the beneficiaries list. The Minister has instructed officials to complete formalities at the earliest. Minister has stated that for the first time, a comprehensive loan waiver to benefit both the handloom and powerloom workers is being implemented in Telangana.

KTR also reviewed the status of subsidy release towards purchasing Yarn, Chemicals and Dyes. Officials informed that the formalities for the same have been completed. Minister said the subsidy disbursal process should start by November first week.

The Minister also reminded the officials that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao wished the incentives being announced to textiles and handloom sector should ultimately benefit the workers. A subsidy of 40% is being extended to handloom sector and 10% to Powerloom sector in the state.

He said that the weavers thrift scheme (Nethannaku Cheyutha) launched recently has to be ramped up. He said targets and milestones have to be set up and the Department has to conduct special drives to ensure all weavers are enrolled in this scheme.

As per the instructions of the Chief Minister, a Handloom Corporation and a Powerloom Corporation would be set up in Telangana soon.

The Minister has asked Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and Director of Handlooms and Textiles Shailaja Ramaiyer to complete the formalities for the creation of these two corporations so that the government could allocate necessary corpus fund for them.

He said that both these corporations would play a pivotal role in the development of both Handloom and Textiles sectors in the state and would help in implementation of various government initiatives intended for this sector.

The Minister also reviewed the status of proposed Gadwal Handloom Park. Administrative sanction for this Park has been accorded and the works would begin within two weeks. It was also decided that a Mega “in situ” powerloom upgradation camp with modern loom manufacturers and powerloom weavers would be conducted at Sircilla on 18th November. Minister said that the “in situ Loom upgradation” has to be completed by March 2018.

Resolve State Bifurcation issues at the earliest: KTR

During the meeting, the Handloom and Textiles department officials brought to the notice of the Minister about certain unresolved issues of bifurcation of various organizations between Telangana and AP, under the department. They informed the minister about the monies that are pending from the Andhra Pradesh government.

Officials were asked to take up these issues with their AP counterparts immediately. If the issues still remain unresolved, the Minister said that he will personally take up this issue with his AP counterpart. (INN)